A golden eagle's wingspan can reach over two metres — wider than two grown-up people lying head to foot. The 'golden' in its name comes from the warm, honey-coloured feathers on the back of its head and neck, which catch the light beautifully in flight. The rest of the body is a rich dark brown.
Golden eagles have extraordinary eyesight — about five times sharper than a human's. Flying high above the mountains, they can spot a rabbit or a small animal from more than a kilometre away. Once they have spotted prey, they fold their wings and dive at speeds that can reach 240 kilometres per hour.
Across Central Asia, there is a long tradition of working with trained eagles to hunt. Falconers spend years building a bond of trust with their bird, training it to fly from the glove, chase game and return. This art of eagle hunting is recognised by UNESCO as an important part of Central Asian heritage.
Golden eagles build huge nests called eyries on cliff faces and mountain ledges. A pair of eagles returns to the same nest year after year, adding more sticks and grass each season until the nest becomes enormous — sometimes the size of a small car. Both parents help raise the young eaglets.